Ashley POV“Don't even try,” he hissed. "You and your family have more than enough money to buy a small town. Why can't you use those resources to piss me off?”“Because I'm a good person?” I was tempted to turn on the wall lamp behind me, but as much as I wanted to see Jayden acting irrationally, I didn't want to see his expression which was definitely harsh and cold. He was too good at it.After a horribly long pause, he broke the silence with a small laugh. “Never been an optimist, have you?”It took a while before I came to my senses as to what was really going on. I groaned in annoyance. “Have you been joking all this time?”“Yes,” he said cheerfully.“You idiot!”He laughed out loud. It had been a long time since I'd heard him laugh like that, and the happy sound warmed my heart, sinking into my bones. “Well, can you really blame me? I want to see how much dedication you have. Besides, I also wanted to see if I could still lie to you if I needed to.”“Sadistic bastard,” I grumbl
Ashley POVIt was during lunch the next day that I decided to make a rather critical phone call. Sneaking into the bathroom at the coffee shop where Eva wanted to have lunch, I left her with Sarah, who was studying at a nearby art university. We had only met Sarah a few minutes earlier but already felt comfortable sharing a table with our cell phones in hand. In fact, I felt a little relieved to be there with Sarah, despite the many things to take care of related to BHB and the ongoing discussions about an upcoming sleepover. Just hope that Eva hadn't noticed that I'd gone to the bathroom for longer than usual.After taking care of the usual business, I found myself in an unexpected dilemma. Biting my lower lip, I stared at the familiar names on my phone screen. Which member would be the most appropriate to talk to?I really had no idea. For almost a minute, I read the names over and over again, trying to remember the details of the dinner at their apartment. This decision wasn't easy
Ashley POVI gulped again, not responding. I didn't know what to say to brighten the somber mood that had suddenly enveloped this phone conversation. As much as I had witnessed Jayden's behavior over the past few weeks and realized how much his condition had been getting worse, both mentally and physically, despite our best efforts, I had never really thought about how the other BHB members felt about this situation. And really, why should I? They had nothing to do with me personally; they were just celebrities that my best friend happened to worship.But really, who am I kidding? I knew the reason why I felt so bad for them, even just over a phone call. Why did the hurt in their voices and answers evoked such great feelings of sympathy in me?Because of him. Because of Jayden, I started to care even for his group mates. What has he done to me?Silence fell over the conversation again, albeit shorter this time. Jamie's light, relaxed voice finally broke the silence. “We will be there,
Ashley POVClasses went by quickly that day, probably because of the sudden, harsh cold. The last class was canceled, so I was able to leave almost an hour earlier than I expected. However, to my surprise, I didn't find Jayden practicing dance with a sloppy style or delving deeper into his past life as an idol.Instead, I found him sitting cross-legged on the newly cleaned wooden floor of my parents' living room, right under the smart TV hanging on the wall. All around him were scattered cutouts of news articles, pictures, and thick photo albums almost equivalent to the size of his calves, poking out of rolled-up sweatpants. In front of him, just an arm's length away, was a large white box, filled with more photos and documents.I leaned against the doorway that connected the living room to the hallway, watching Jayden who was still engrossed in hunching over an old photo album that was open on his lap. "Snooping around, are we?" I teased.Jayden smiled slightly, still looking at the
Ashley POVI sucked in a deep breath, trying to find the right words to respond, but before I could open my mouth, he cut me off again.“They will be here soon,” he said quickly, his tone of voice firmer now. “We should probably order some food soon, and I should get dressed.”“Fine,” I said quietly, following his cue to change the subject. It was clear he didn't want to talk about this further, and even though I wanted to know more about what he was really feeling, I knew that this wasn't the right time. The rest of the Boyz Hits Bullets would be arriving in less than an hour, and I could feel the terrible pressure building up on my shoulders. They were the key to helping Jayden recover his memory or at least help him return to his dream as a famous singer. I knew I had to stay calm, but the closer the time got, the more nervous I felt like I was taking a college entrance exam.Though the other BHB members were usually nice people, or at least most of them weren't bad, I had no idea
Ashley POVEva Williams. She's been my best friend since I was eleven and she was twelve. The girl who practically forced her friendship on a lonely, loud-mouthed rich girl, which was me until I finally gave in and accepted the friendship. I never expected to have a best friend like her, who with all her flaws became a comfort to me in the midst of my loneliness. She tormented me with her excessive admiration for a boy band, Boyz Hits Bullets, which frankly never caught my attention. On the other hand, she was the only person who had never fought with me, though she wasn't afraid to challenge or express her own opinions either. That made me respect her, more than anyone else.Eva was a petite girl who had lost her father due to cancer, leaving her with younger siblings who didn't even remember their father and a mother who struggled with financial matters. Somehow, though, Eva always managed to keep smiling. She was my senior, but she refused to be called ‘senior.’ She could cry tears
Ashley POVAs they passed him by, Jayden was not looking at the six of them, but I could see his jaw clenching and his fingers wringing over the handle of the bag. Worry clouded my heart as I stepped out of the doorway and into the elevator lobby to let the six guys through. In my head, I sent out a short prayer to whoever might hear it, hoping that if this night didn't bring any luck, at least it wouldn't turn out badly or painfully.Please, good fortune.“Where to?”Hunter stopped right in front of me, making the other BHB boy band members stop as well, and his eyes were level with mine. He smiled reassuringly, and despite sounding carefree, I could hear the worry in his tone.“Just follow that hallway,” I hastily told him while gesturing over my shoulder. "The kitchen is on the right, there's water, both sparkling and flavored in the second fridge. You can take whatever you want. There's a dining room opposite, to the north, where we can sit, and two bathrooms at the end of the hal
Ashley POVWe waited quietly for a minute. Then, through the heavy double glass doors, I spotted two cars driving towards the building, both of which caught my eye. There was Mavis behind the wheel of the first car, and the familiar pizzeria logo on the car behind her. Eva's cell phone vibrated, but she ignored it. I followed her out of the building, nodding at the guards we passed, and, while glad the time was right to get some food, I wished I'd brought a jacket.I waved goodbye to Mavis, who waved me back, then motioned for Eva to get into the car. However, before Eva and I parted ways, she gave me a quick hug, her smile widening as I turned her down. “See you next week,” she whispered in my ear. “And,” she quickly added, ”I think you and Jayden bought pizza to share tonight.”I carefully pulled away from her arms and smiled sheepishly. “I see. Or we, rather. And I'll tell you everything soon. I swear.”“I know you will, and I look forward to it.” She smiled. “Have fun with seven f
Ashley POVJared reached out and shook Samuel’s hand without even blinking. That surprised me, considering Samuel’s old injury, but Jared’s grip was firm and smooth.“Jared Keller,” he said with a hint of a smile. “And I’m sure the best wedding photographer in the city is more than capable of taking a few photos of me and my fiancée.”His voice, usually cold and even, actually sounded warm this time— nothing like the sharp tone he usually used with me. But that didn’t bother me. Not one bit.Because I knew Jared. I knew that when he wanted to, he could charm anyone— regardless of gender. That cool, intimidating aura of his didn’t stop him from flipping a switch and turning into the smoothest guy in the room.And honestly? The fact he was using that tone with someone other than me or Eva? It was kind of a relief.When Jared talked like that, people couldn’t help but feel confident, maybe even proud— like they mattered. Like Jared saw something special in them, even if they barely knew
Ashley POV“And... smile!”The umbrella lights flashed across the room, making my vision blur for a second. I blinked quickly, waiting for the black dots to fade as my eyes adjusted to the pastel walls, the endless fake white and blush roses surrounding me, and the bulky guy standing behind the camera set up in front of me.Raising his hand, he gave the universal “okay” gesture. “Beautiful, beautiful,” he said excitedly. “Now, if you could just tilt your head a little to the side and angle your chin to the right...”Without a word, I followed his instructions, rewarded with a delighted squeal and another blinding flash. “Yes, that’s it! And maybe move your hand like this...” he said, demonstrating with his left hand. I copied him. “Yesss! Perfect! I gotta say,” he went on with a big grin, “you are the most stunning bride I’ve ever seen, Ashley Van Smith. Your fiancé is one lucky guy.”The camera clicked and the lights flashed again.“Thanks, Sam,” I said once my vision started coming
Jayden POV“Jay, are you okay?”“How many times do I have to answer that?” I didn't look up from my phone screen even though I'd probably read the same news article about criminals a thousand times. Somehow, the drive to the restaurant felt like an eternity, or, at least, that's how I felt when I was stuck in the car with nothing to hear but silly questions.I was fine, though.“How many times does it take you to spill the fucking truth,” Hunter asked, his voice coming from dangerously close behind me.I lifted my phone over my shoulder so he could see what I was doing, then snorted. I took the only open passenger seat in the front on the pretense that I was feeling sick because I was so damn starving, but now here I was suddenly wondering if it would be better to sit in the very back seat.But there was Miles already seated, and I didn't like the way he was looking at me as I turned towards him.“Jayden...” Jamie's tone was low, worried.“Get off of my back,” I snapped. “I'm fine, ok
Jayden POV“No,” I stated simply. “She… Everyone thinks we're just family friends.”“Well,” she went on, the glint in her eyes turning cold. Extremely cold, like merciless stones of ice. “As of today, that won't be a lie anymore.”My brows furrowed, I couldn't help but let the fear caused by my anxiety creep up my voice. “What do you mean?” I asked in a tone that hopefully sounded calm.She pulled the engagement ring off her finger and held it out to me. “I'm calling off our engagement,” she said harshly. “I won't - won't marry a cheating bastard like you. You can live happily ever after with someone else, like Blair Anderson.” A mocking sneer spread across her face. “Smile, Jayden - you're finally getting rid of me, may you live happily ever after with your dear girlfriend.” What she said after that sucked the life out of me as if part of my soul had been taken away. “Oh, and before I forget, I, Ashley Van Smith, of the Red Moon Pack, reject Jayden Ronan Keller, of the Crimson Pack,
Jayden POV“What are you doing here, Ashley?”It wasn't my intention to lash out at her, but I was too shocked to find other words, so my tongue moved faster than my brain. She looked flabbergasted at my words, her face turning redder than a ripe tomato as she caught sight of me and my group of friends. Her lips parted and sealed, then parted again, but this time to my astonishment. She was stunned. Angry, too.And hurting more than I'd ever seen her before.“Jayden,” Tyler said hesitantly, breaking the silence down the hallway that had suddenly become eerily quiet. “Isn't she a friend of your family?”“Is it really her?” asked Jax, glancing curiously between me and Ashley while scratching his face.Later on, Jamie stepped in front of me as soon as I snarled at Ashley with both shoulders raised but immediately loosened up at Tyler's words. “Oh yeah, I've seen your face before, on the news.”Hunter snapped his fingers. “That's right!” he said as he realized something. “Whenever you two
Jayden POV23.02 - Fine, I'll go get your stuff. See you in five minutes?23.02 - Perfect! Hey, baby, you're not mad at me, right?Rolling my eyes, I replied with the word “No”. To be frank, I'm not mad at her. I'm just tired of her. Blair was prettier than most, very talented, and kind despite being more of a loner than Jean and overall she was a very nice girl. She is the kind of girl that guys dream about, because of her sweet and lovable nature, her graceful and slender figure. In fact, she was exactly what I wanted when I first laid eyes on her. I used to think I could finally fall in love, and it would be with her because she's almost perfect in every way. I mean, how could a guy not like a woman like Blair?At first, it was fun and exciting. I had never had someone... someone who I knew was definitely interested in me and talked to me for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. She made me break down my walls, to the point where I felt I could trust her. I thought I could
Jayden POV—Flashback a few hours before the accident after the concert in NY in February—“Good job, everyone! That's a wrap for our concert in NY!”Clark escorted the seven of us from backstage to one of the leather couches in the dressing room before darting off somewhere. Some of the other coordinators and managers who had been with us for a few months to a few years came next, all with smiles on their faces. I poured the last contents of my water bottle over my head to cool down as I sat next to Jax. The liquid dripped down my face, neck, and back, soaking the black T-shirt I wore at the end of the concert, and though it felt relatively warm, I was still able to breathe a sigh of relief.“There's a place called the bathroom.” Tyler leaned over to my right and tugged gently on my sleeve. “Man, you're soaked.”“You too,” I retorted as I stared intently at his hair stuck to his forehead.“I'm starving,” whimpered Jean as he fanned himself frantically with someone's magazine. He plop
Ashley POVJayden was checking himself out in the massive mirror, eyes trailing from head to toe. His dyed light brown hair was a mess, and he had just enough makeup on to cover the small scar on his left cheek. Titanium earrings dangled from his ears, and rings wrapped around his fingers. He wore a red bomber jacket over a teal patterned shirt, paired with tight— very tight— black skinny jeans and branded sneakers to complete the look.“Hey,” he greeted, locking eyes with me through the mirror.I pushed a rolling clothing rack filled with expensive-looking shirts and jackets. “No white tees? What’s going on?” I asked.Jayden let out a small laugh. “Sorry to disappoint,” he replied, adjusting his collar. “Anyway, where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”“I was at the mall,” I lied, trying my hardest not to rub my wrist. “I’m actually feeling kinda sick. I don’t know if I can stay for the whole concert.”He immediately turned to me. “You have to,” he said, a hint of
Ashley POVChugging his water bottle, Jayden turned his attention back to his friends. Miles, however, kept sneaking glances at me, his expression unreadable. I gave him a small smile anyway, hoping to reassure him that I was fine.A lie, of course. I was fine. I just had no idea how.“Are you and Miles having a thing or...?”My jaw practically hit the floor, and I gawked at Blair in disbelief. “What?” I blurted, unable to hide my shock. “Of course not!”She tapped a finger against her chin, flashing me an apologetic smile. “Sorry, that was kind of fishy.” She came closer, the scent of her strawberry perfume stinging my nose even more. “Come on, we’re friends. You can tell me.”I was this close to telling her that friendship didn’t work that way. Hell, I wanted to punch her square in the jaw. But I managed to hold back and just shook my head. “No, really,” I said, sneakily shifting away from her. “There’s nothing going on between me and him. Or anyone else in this group, for that matt